Celebrating White Chocolate with Waffles

My wife is a happy woman this morning because it's National White Chocolate Day. To celebrate, I'm pulling a recipe from CakeLove in the Morning for White Chocolate Waffles. it's important to warm all of the ingredients so the white chocolate won't stiffen and clump up. If you're like me and prefer real chocolate, bittersweet chocolate pieces work just as well.

White Chocolate Waffles

from CakeLove in the Morning

4 eggs

6 tbsp superfine sugar

1 1/4 cups half-and-half

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 to 4 oz white chocolate, melted in a double broiler or metal bowl placed over a saucepan of steaming water

7 oz. (roughly 1 1/2 cups) unbleached cake flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1. Start the waffle iron and preheat the oven to 200 degrees F to keep the finished waffles warm.

2. Run warm water over the eggs for 20 seconds, then separate them. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks, then sprinkle in 4 tablespoons of the sugar with the mixer on high speed. Carefully move the meringue to a separate bowl and set aside.

3. Using the same bowl and whisk, mix the yolks and the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar on high speed for 30 seconds. Reduce the speed to medium and add the half-and-half and vanilla.

4. Scrape the melted white chocolate into the mixer and whip to incorporate.

5. Meanwhile, in another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt to combine. Fold the flour mixture into the yolk base, then gently fold in the meringue.

6. Spray the waffle iron with plenty of nonstick spray. Ladle 1/4 cup batter onto each square of the iron.

7. Cook following the waffle iron's directions. Serve immediately or hold on a heat-resistant plate in the warmed oven.